AfREC Fellows Make Submissions to Senate Inquiry into Issues Facing Diaspora Communities

Several AfREC Fellows made submissions to the Australian Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Reference Committee Inquiry into Issues Facing Diaspora Communities in Australia, which closed on 31 July 2020.

The Terms of Reference for the Inquiry were:

Issues facing diaspora communities in Australia, with particular reference to:

1. support offered to diaspora community associations and similar organisations, including government grants and other funding;

2. safety concerns among diaspora communities, and means for strengthening the protection and resilience of vulnerable groups;

3. barriers to the full participation of diaspora communities in Australia's democratic and social institutions, and mechanisms for addressing these barriers;

4. opportunities to strengthen communication and partnerships between government and diaspora communities in Australia; and

5. any related matters

AfREC Fellows made the following submissions (linked):

• Dr David Mickler (on behalf of AfREC)

• Dr Dominic Dagbanja

• A/Prof. Farida Fozdar (on behalf of research project team)

Other submissions (linked) of interest to AfREC include those by:

• Federation of Equatorial Community Association in Australia Inc

• African Australian Advocacy Centre Inc

• South Sudanese Community Association in Victoria Inc

• African Think Tank Inc

• South Sudanese National Consensus Council

• Community of South Sudan and Other Marginalised Areas Association NSW

AfREC was previously involved and cited in the Committee’s Inquiry into Australia’s Trade and Investment Relationships with the Countries of Africa (2017-19).